Adjustable heating apparatus



May 4, 1943- F. s. DENNEEN ETAL ADJUSTABLE HEATING APPARATUS Filed Aug.6, 1941 I5 Sheets-Sheet l a FT n W E M x U 1 J 5 "m w r u u 5 mm 4 .wu Fa a. A y B m. B M 2 7 y 1943. F. s. DENNEEN EIAL ADJUSTABLE HEATINGAPPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

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May 4, 1943- F. s. DENNEEN ETAL ADJUSTABLE HEATING APPARATUS Filed Aug.6. 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 'MJMu;

Patented Mi. 4, 1943 ADJUSTABLE HEATING APPARATUS Francis 8.

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Application August C, 181, Serial No. 5,595 11. Claims. (G. 21H!) Thepresent invention as an improvement on that shown and described in ourco-pending application Serial No. 304,986, filed November 17, 1939,relates to mechanism for rendering more convenient and universal theapparatus contained in the said pending application. Apparatus of thisgeneral character is applicable to the heat treatment of many articleswhich vary in size and form and which, as a result, require to behandled in a variety of ways. In the former application, the generalarrangement of the apparatus is shown and described. and one simple wayof bringing out the power leads from the transformer within the upperpart of the apparatus to supply power to an inductor placed in thequench collecting basin is shown.

Frequently it is not advantageous to place the inductor in one fixedposition as shown in that application, but is often found necessary tomove this inductor into various other locations and to rotate it intovarious positions, especially when progressive or continuous operationsare required,suchssare describedinourcoepending application Serial No.807,39iil1ed December 4,

1939. If it were desired to use the apparatus of this last namedapplication to progressively heat treat elongated parts which were toolong to pass vertically through the inductor, it would then be necessaryto turn the inductor and the feedingmechanismsoastopassthearticlestherethru in a horizontal direction or inan intermediate direction. 7 1

This invention thus relates to apparatus for adjusting the positions ofoperative elements.

particularly elements for delivering power for heating. such asinductors or resistors for electrlc heating. and nozzles for combustionheaters or for the transfer of power for a variety of other purposesincluding the heat treating of articles. It is adapted also tocontrolling the direction of flow of cooling or quenching fluid for suchheat treating or for other purposes. It is particularly well adapted touse in cases where a variety of articles are to be heated or otherwiseoperated upon which require a modification in the apparatus in changingover from one, article to another. One of its chief uses as aboveindicated has been found in the mounting of inductors used in the heattreatment of articles such as the inductors of the above statedapplications and of such inductor as is shown in our Patent No.2,170,130.

Inheatingarticlesofvaryingformandsise by electric means, a variety ofheating elements or inductors is required, each being adapted to theparticular item being operated upon andeachisoftenrequiredtobeadiustedtoaparticular position. For instance, ifan inductor for progressively heating a series of articles is employed.it may be necessary that the inductor bearrangedtoletthevariousarticlespaqthruor adjacent to the inductor inmany different directions. To this end, the conductors to which theinductors or other elements are connected are arrangedsoastoberotated orotherwisemoved into numerous positions to provide the greatest possibleconvenience in changing over from operating on one part to operating onanother.

The chief object of our invention has been to provide apparatus of auniversal character for 81199 1 8 P wer to elements for heating or otherpurposes. Another object has been to provide means forconvenientlychanging the positions of thesehlements to adapt them to avariety of uses. A further oblect has been to provide means of thisseneral character which is compact, easily installed and eiilcient inoperation. Other obiects will appear in the following description- Withthe above and related objects in view, the said invention consists ofthe means hereinafter described together with the steps employed inusing this or similar means, which means and steps are particularlypointed out in the claims. The annexed drawings and the followingdescription set forth in detail certain means and one mode of carryingout the invention, such disclosed means and mode illustrating, however,but

one of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be med.In the annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the preferred form t of our apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of this apparatus.

l'lg.3isasectionsubstantiallyat8lof Fig. 2. a

Fig. 4 is a section substantially at 4-4 of Fig.2showingthebusbarsonly.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the rotatable mechanism attached toits front support.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation-of the mechanism shown in 1'18. 5.

Referrlng now to the drawings, ll represents the front member of anenclosure for our improved mechanism.this front member serving as thechief supporting element of this mechanism. This front member isprovided with a bore into which is inserted the rotatable support If.This support I! carries the transformer ll to whose primary current issupplied by concentric tubularprimary conductors ll and II. Thesecondary of this transformer connected to deliver secondary current,usually of high amperage, to the terminals #6 and ii. The outerconductor is has terminals i3 and it and the inner conductor providedwith terminal 20. This entire mechanism comp ising the transformer andthe To obtain resonance in the primary circuits, capacitors such as d5are employed. These capacitors are connected between bus bars 35 and 32.One terminal such as A5 of each capacitor is connected directly to onebus bar 35 as at 41 and the other terminal, such as 68 is connected tothe other bus bar 32 by means of the lead 45 and by connector 50 andplate 5i which plate is secured to plate 36 as shown.

ry p mary conductors with their .13 rotatable on the supporting front iis usually made of IiOll-EliJ-liflili) material. This rotatable supportis provided with the El either attache to or integral there fiith.Meshing with this gear v I is minim 23 which 13L ion is carried by 1323mmals l6 and ll to bring the inductor 25 or c .Tiaft having a in the flgi; support other heating member attached to them into I ru m haft 23ispl-ovided 15 some desired angular position, screws 33 and 39,

holding the terminals I8 and I9 and of conductor tubes i l and i5respectively, are loosened to permit these terminals to slide insubstantial uppgrf. ngmber 5g and is contact with the plates 30 and 38respectively. ru -7x311 by means 9i screu s uch 20 SCIGWS in the clampring 24 on 12115 front Of 59 t when the Screws the apparatus are alsoloosened to release the Operation When it is desired to rotate thesecondary terh squat r other form to engage a crank tvrenclhereby theshaft and pinion can otated. a plate is provided and the transformer 25;to which A I and 25 are attached. all in firmly o pinion 22 and thispinion 1S rotated in the desired direction and thru a sufiicient numberof turns 1 m5 fmm membe? 5g is damped clamping effect of this clamp ringand to permit this mate and Support "hus h mg support 52 to be rotated.A crank or wrench is t I, then applied to the end of shaft 23 carrying in the front member. It will i m t screws 2a to turn gear 28 and supportl2 to the desired t be appgigd shaft 23 angular position. During thismovement, termi- Sbrmer with its primary leads gr, nals i8 and i9 rotatesubstantially in contact 5 secgndary g g 5g and 5'; to 30 with plate 3Gand terminal 20 rotates in substantial contact with plat 36, thepiloting end 43 secured to terminal 20 rotating centrally in the tion ator which the screws are tightened to hold bore in Plate during s ion tohold the mechanism securely in its new position. It entire movingmechanism in l gnment While will observed th t the terminals 23 and El35 being u n s m Cases Where the desired angular movement is large,screws 33 and 39 are ran it; and it hich an inductor or other heatingmember 25' can be rotated to any desired posiarc elongated and havenumerous holes for L s rews so that the inductor 25 or other heaterremoved entlrely from holes m the termmals b0 @1156 Selected lgcationsalong these and inserted in other holes which are uncovered by thearcuate slots as the terminals rotate. It will be understood that thetubular conductors i4 and i5 are suitably insulated from a a s isgmvldei each other and that these conductors are firmly v swam-COTS andg5 usually attached to the transformer l3 so as to form a m and arerequired to be unit of the necessary structural strength. Tubes a everthe transformer is turned their 4.3 for supplying Cooling fluid to thecoils of the connections to the supplying bus bars do not comtransformerar 9 provided and are made of the flexible cables Whish are fte employedterial sufficiently, flexible to permit the required ii such cases buthave heavy copper terminals angular movements of thfi transformerm g aclamped @113 bus bars To It will be observed that space is providedwithin Clamping means must be 5 the confines of the structureto insertall necesafter the conduc- Capacitors- Le ash-ed g This generalarrangement is not intended to .JabAe claanmng the tap be limited toapparatus for heating by induction, know-n a dearly but as pointed outheretofore it may be employed t g g3 and 39 which 5; for resistanceheating, or for holding burners or 3 is the Outer C nducmr M are inother mechanism in combustion heating, or it cgniact with g 39 which maybe employed in apparatus intended for pur- With arc-late slots 5 and gposes other than that of heating. screws 33. The plate so by Other modesof applying the principle of our 1" co. nectar is joined with bus bar 3550 inlenfion may be emPloyed instead of the is supplied fmm scme Outsideexplained, change being made as regards the k high ffaquency genemmr ormeans herein disclosed, provided those stated by flermin 1 26 which isSecured any of the following claims or their equivalents in sl dingContact adth be BmPIOYQded with arcuate We, therefore, particularlypoint out and disadjusting the position of the inals and by rotating the40 ntially universal adjustment 155 tinctly claim as our invention:extgnslg l. In apparatus of the character described, a

w th above transformer having a substantially tubular conductor securedthereto to form a substantially grower supply'unit, the transformer andthe conductor having a common axis of rotation, a for the transformerand a support for the conductor, the said supports being spaced fromeach other, means for rotating the said unit idea with on the supportsto angularly adjust an inductor 2,318,468 being carried by the unit, abus bar for delivering current to the conductor, and means to secure theconductor to the bus bar to hold the afore said power supply unit inadjusted position.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a transformer having aconductor secured thereto to form a substantially rigid power supplyunit, a heating member being attached to the unit, a support for saidunit, means for rotating the unit on the support to adjust the heatingmember, a bus bar for supplying current to the conductor, and means torelease the conductor from the bus bar to permit the conductor to berotated to a new position, the last named means being adapted to againattach the conductor to the bus bar in a new position on the bus bar.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a power supply unitcomprising a rotatable transformer having an axis, an inductor beingattached to the transformer, a conductor for supplying power to thetransformer, said conductor being rotatable with the transformer on theaxis, a fixed conductor for supplying periodically varying current tothe rotatable conductor, means for rotating the transformer androtatable conductor to angularly adjust the inductor, and means tofasten the rotatable conductor to the fixed conductor to lrilld therotatable conductor when the inductor has been adjusted.

4. In apparatus of the character described, an enclosure, a transformerhaving an axis passing thru a part of the enclosure, an inductor beingattached to the transformer and projecting exteriorly from a wall of theenclosure and substantially along the axis, a conductor for supplyingcurrent to the transformer, the transformer and conductor beingrotatable on the said axis to angularly adjust the inductor, lockingmeans associated with a wall of the enclosure for holding the inductorin adjusted position, and means for supplying periodically varyingcurrent to the conductor.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a power supply unitcomprising a transformer having an. axis, conductors for supplying powerto the transformer, the conductors extending axially from a side of thetransformer and serving as a support for the transformer, an inductorbeing connected to the transformer and lying substantially along theaxis thereof, means for rotating the transformer and the supportingconductors on the said axis to rotatably adjust the inductor,

clamping means for holding the transformer and conductors to maintainthe inductor in an adjusted position, and means for supplyingperiodically varying current to the conductors.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a power unit comprising aninductor and a terminal for delivering periodically varying current tothe inductor, the terminal being elongated to provide space toselectively position the inductor on the terminal, means fastening theinductor to the terminal, means for rotating the power unit on an axisto rotate the terminal and to move the inductor into a preselectedposition, and means to hold the inductor in the preselected position,

7. In apparatus of the character described, a power unit comprising aninductor and a terminal for delivering periodically varying current tothe inductor, the unit being rotatable on an axis in a supportingmember, the terminal being elongated and extending transversely of theaxis to provide space to selectively position the inductor on theterminal radially from the axis, means fastening the inductor to theterminal in a selected position, means for rotating the power unit onthe axis to rotate the terminal and to move the inductor along an arcinto a preselected position, and means for holding the inductor in thepreselected position.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a

power unit comprising an inductor and a terminal for deliveringperiodically varying current to the inductor, the inductor having a boreto receive an article to be heated, the power unit being rotatable on anaxis in a supporting member, the terminal being elongated and extendingtransversely of the axis to provide space to selectively position theinductor on the terminal substantially radially from the axis, meansfastening the inductor to the terminal in a selected position, means forrotating the power unit on the axis to rotate the terminal and to movethe inductor along an are into a preselected position to change theelevation of the bore relative to the axis and to change the angle ofthe bore relative to the aforesaid support, and means for holding theinductor in the preselected position.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a power unit comprising aninductor and terminals for delivering inducing current to the inductor,the inductor being attached to the said terminals at selected positions,a bus bar for delivering current to the power unit, means for angularlyadjusting the power unit to selectively position the inductor, and meansfor fastening the power unit to the bus bar in adjusted position.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a power unit comprising aninductor and power transforming means for delivering inducing current tothe inductor, a conductor for delivering current to the said powertransforming means, spaced supports for said power unit, the supportshaving coaxial bores, one of the bores engaging a part of said powertransforming means for supporting one part of the unit, the other boreengaging a part of the aforesaid conductor to support another part ofthe unit, means for angularly adjusting the unit in the bores toangularly adjust the inductor, and means to secure the unit in adjustedposition.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a power supply unitcomprising a transformer and n inductor, the transformer and inductorhaving an axis of rotation, said inductor having a bore, an axis of thebore having a direction making a substantial angle with the said axis ofrotation, means for rotating the transformer and inductor about the axisto change the direction of the axis of the bore of the inductor, andmeans for supplying periodically varying current to the transformer saidlast named means being adapted to be secured current to the transformerat substantially all selected positions of the inductor.

FRANCIS S. D NNEEN. WILLIAM C. DUNN.

in selected positions to deliver said

